Gifts of Remembrance
by GaeilgeRua
Summary: What started out as a move of necessity turned into a friendship that would last a lifetime. (Peter Parker/Shuri friendship)


Written for WomenOfMCU's St. Valentine's Exchange from Tumblr. Thank you to my giftee, lady-needless-litany for the lovely suggestions even if my muse didn't want to cooperate with me on it, which is why it's a bit late. I hope you enjoy it!

Lots of thanks go out to JenniseiBlack for her invaluable help with this. Not only in reading it over for me but helping me when I got stuck.

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone or anything recognizable from any part of the Marvel Universe. I am not making any money off of this story. Aesthetic images were found via Google and belong to their respective owners.

* * *

"Brother, not another broken white boy to fix," Shuri sighed at T'Challa when she entered the throne room to see her older brother speaking with a young man around her age.

At her words, he spun to face her. Confusion and shock battling for dominance across his features.

She stopped only a few feet from the two men and after a cursory glance over the newcomer, she realized she didn't see any injuries.

T'Challa stifled a sigh. "He is not broken, sister. He is here to stay with us for the time being as we are the safest place for him." Gesturing between the two teenagers, T'Challa continued, "Peter, meet my sister Shuri. Shuri, this is Peter Parker."

Shuri's eyes widened. "You're Spider-Man!"

There was a slight twitch to his right eye as Peter said, "It's Spider-Man, not bo… wait, you did say Spider-Man, didn't you?"

She laughed. "Yes, I did. Come, follow me." Shuri turned and made her way towards the entrance of the throne room. "I think we're going to be great friends."

Peter turned to face T'Challa who was watching the scene unfold with a bemused expression on his face. When Peter opened his mouth to say something, T'Challa shook his head. "You better follow my sister. Once she has set her mind, there is no stopping her."

Taking T'Challa's advice, Peter turned and followed Shuri out of the throne room.

* * *

And that was how they met, and their friendship began, Shuri mused as she looked at the unwrapped gift that sat on her desk. It wasn't anything impressive, but she knew that Peter would appreciate it nonetheless.

She, of course, had friends her own age from Wakanda, but what she enjoyed and what they enjoyed seemed to sometimes put vast distances between them. But her newfound friendship with Peter didn't have the same complications. In fact, their different backgrounds brought them closer together as they were able to teach each other about their cultures.

It was during one of these sharing moments, where Shuri didn't have the heart to tell Peter that she already knew about Saint Valentine and the day to honor him. Or rather what initially started out as a day to honor the saint. She enjoyed hearing his views on the holiday and was more than happy to exchange gifts with him in friendship.

Picking up the small object, she placed it within the box she found to wrap it in. Once she was ready to go, she gathered up her present and made her way outside to the small courtyard at the back of their home.

As she stepped into the courtyard, she found Peter already waiting for her. A small, oddly shaped package sitting on the bench next to him. Grinning, she sat down next to Peter and held out her bright red package. "Happy Valentine's Day."

He gently took the present from her hands before tearing into the wrapping paper. Shuri laughed at his enthusiasm. Once he opened the box, Peter's eyes lit up at what was inside. He looked up at her. "Did you make this?"

Shuri barely refrained from rolling her eyes but smiled instead. "Of course, I did. To turn it on, just press the button here." She pointed to a little button on the side of the frame. "Since it's made using our technology here, there's no need for charging to keep it working, just press the button again to turn it off."

Peter pressed the button she indicated, and Shuri watched the different emotions play across his face as a new image popped up on the screen. He looked up at his friend. "Where did you find some of these images?"

"I have my ways," Shuri replied with a wink.

He shook his head and returned to looking at the decorative frame that housed image after image of his family members, both alive and those that had passed on, friends, and his fellow Avengers. She even included a couple of pictures of her and her brother. All were a way for him to remember those close to him. Reaching over, Peter gave Shuri a hug and whispered, "thanks," in her ear.

Pulling back, he reached behind him to hand her the present he had placed on the bench when he arrived. "Happy Valentine's Day to you too."

Shuri looked down at the package in her hands. Now that she was closer, she could see that it was cube-shaped and was wrapped in a blue material designed to look like the night sky. She carefully untied the knot at the top and pulled the fabric away to reveal a non-descript box. Opening it, she riffled through the paper inside until her fingers came in contact with a hard object. Pulling her hand out, she looked down to see a beautifully carved wooden bracelet sitting in the palm of her hand. Letting go of the box, she brought her other hand up to trace the geometric lines of the bracelet.

"Do you like it?" Peter questioned after a few minutes.

"No," Shuri replied, "I love it. Who made it for you?"

She looked up just in time to see a light blush spread across Peter's cheeks. "I made it," he said. "Well, with some help with one of your woodcarvers."

"It's beautiful. Thank you so much. I usually receive gifts that have to do with technology in some way, but it's nothing I cannot build. But this? Thank you again."

"I'm glad you like it," Peter said. He grinned. "Apparently, we both had the same idea of gifts to remember the other by."

Returning his hug from earlier, Shuri chuckled. "Yes, I noticed it looked like a spiderweb."

As they parted once more, Peter scratched the back of his head as he grinned sheepishly. "I was wondering if you would catch that."


End file.
